And the Oscar for Best Outline goes to..

Procrastination has been a common theme throughout my academic career, and it certainly persevered this past weekend. As many of you know, the Academy Awards held its ceremony last night, where films like Moonlight and La La Land dominated the scene. Now you may be wondering why I’m writing about the Academy Awards.. Well, it certainly played a role in delaying the completion of my outline. I’m hoping, and crossing my fingers and toes, that I can shake off this procrastination “bug” when it comes time to write my first draft!

Now, back to the outline.. In about five-and-a-half pages I was able to encapsulate my research project in its entirety, but as a work in progress. After many hours at the archives of Loyola, Mundelein, and DePaul, I was conflicted in how to present the evidence to back up my thesis: should I write three separate histories for the schools of interest that stem from my argument, or should I weave them all together to tell their story of solidarity during the Vietnam War? I ended up doing the former because each university has their own unique story and deserves to be told on its own pedestal. However, this could change as I begin writing my first draft. While there are differences between the schools, there certainly are similarities. Many of the schools I am researching participated in the same events, including the 1969 Moratoriums and the strike in response to the Kent State and Jackson State massacres of 1970.

Writing this outline was no easy feat. I have accumulated so much information over the last month at various archives and digital collections. I tried to make my outline as detailed as possible so that I can easily navigate it as I write the draft. I inputted sources that I believed were crucial to the stories of how these three Chicago Catholic universities participated in direct action against American intervention in Indochina. This also meant I had to be cognizant of sources that were of the era but are not so essential in defending my argument. In particular, I came across a joint letter to the Loyola News editor written by Dorothy Day and other pacifists. The letter is a clear endorsement of the Catonsville Nine’s direct action against the draft. Though its significance is obvious and relevant to this year’s Ramonat Seminar, the letter does not describe an event taking on campus or portray a student’s response to American foreign policy in Indochina.

“Letter to the Editor,” written by Dorothy Day and other pacifists calling for support for the Catonsville Nine, a group of laity and clergy who burned draft records in 1968.